Turn guide apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided for controlling the path of a train through a turn, the apparatus comprises a follower attached to the train which engages a channel member and is guided around the turn by the removably fixed channel member.

United States Patent 1191 McCain Sept. 2, 1975 [54] TURN GUIDE APPARATUS 1,560,714 11 1925 Newdick 238/166 x 1,662,093 3 1928 W 11 t l... 104 246 X [75] Inventor: David L. McCain, Ponca Clty, Okla. 3 584 583 611971 f f s 104;244 x [73] Assignee: Continental Oil Company, Ponca 3,815,513 6/1974 Wagner 104/248 City, Okla.

[22] Filed; Apr. 15, 1974 Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant ExaminerRand0lp1h A. Reese [211 App! 460863 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard W. Collins [52] US. Cl 104/246; 238/10 R; 238/166;

238/284 57 ABSTRACT [51] llnt. Cl. B61F 9/00 [58] Field of Search 104/242, 244, 244.1, 245, An apparatus i id d f r controlling the path of a 104/246, 247, 248, 139, 140; 238/151, 166, train through a turn, the apparatus comprises a fol- 238/10 R1 10 A, 10 10 10 E1 lower attached to the train which engages a channel 238/10 R 284 member and is guided around the turn by the removably fixed channel member. [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures l97,945 12/1877 Reble 104/246 M C Q 15 TURN GUIDE APPARATUS The invention of this application relates to an apparatus for controlling the path of a train comprising a series of pivotally connected linkage segment means or channel members. This train can serve to support and transport any standard apparatus such as a conveyor along a given path. This invention is particularly applicable to an apparatus with a hydraulic or slurry conveying system as described in related applications U.S. Ser. No. 389,273, filed 21 Aug., 1973; US. Ser. No. 389,271, filed 21 Aug, 1973; and US Ser. No. 297,113, filed 12 Oct., 1972.

The turn guide apparatus of this invention and its function are illustrated by FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of a segment train of pivotally connected square channel members designated herein linkage segment means. The relationship of a two-wheel cart support means and follower means attached to said linkage segment means members by a common pin means and the relationship of said follower means to a guide means channel member are shown. FIG. 2 is an end sectional view of the train as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a linkage segment train with follower means engaging the guide means showing one embodiment of the turn guide apparatus. Several portions of pivotally connected C channel are shown as a guide means. FIG. 4 is a view of one embodiment of a follower means showing a conical wheel means and a C channel guide means which are adapted to provide a large slidable and rotatable engagement area. FIG. 5 is a view of another embodiment of the follower means showing a two-wheel assembly for the follower means which rotatably engages a C channel cross-section guide means.

The apparatus of this invention is a turn guide apparatus for controlling the path of a movable, steerable train comprising a series of pivotally connected linkage segment means, selected spaced linkage segment means having support ments attached thereto to maintain said linkage segment means a given height above a base means, other linkage segment means being supported by adjacent linkage segment means, said linkage segment means being pivotally connected by pin means, said linkage segment means having attached thereto follower means adapted to slidably and rotatably engage a guide means which is removably fixed to said base means to transmit forces through said follower means to said linkage segment means and thereby control the path of said train relative to said base means.

The turn guide apparatus and one embodiment thereof can be understood by reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 show side and end views of a portion of a train which comprises a series of linkage segment means comprising individual segments 3, 4, and 5 which are pivotally connected by pin means 13 and 14. The linkage segment means can be any standard configuration. Several preferred configurations include I channel and box channel. Spaced selected segments, segment 4 as shown in FIG. 1, are attached to a support means 6 which maintains the linkage segment means a given height above a base means 22 as shown in FIG. 2. The support means as shown in FIG. 1 comprises two wheels or tires 8 attached to linkage segment 4 by axle 7. Any conventional type of wheel and axle arrangement can be used or any other type of conventional support means can be used. The wheels are pneumatic and rotate independently of each other. As shown, linkage segment 4 is also attached to a preferred hydraulic conveying means 24 by a double hose bracket. Attached to the linkage segment means are follower means 9 and 10. The follower means are attached to linkage segment means 3 and 5 by pin means 13 and 14 which also serve to pivotally connect the linkage segment means 3, 4, and 5. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the linkage segment means 3 and 5 are of a different length than 4. The linkage segment means can also be of equal length or varied as necessary to obtain the desired train spacing and movement characteristics. The follower means can also be attached to a linkage segment by a pin means which does not serve as the pivoting connection for two linkage segment means. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the follower means comprises a wheel means 11 and a vertical extension 12. The vertical extension is not essential and the follower means can consist of a simple wheel, a conical wheel or a set of wheels on an assembly which can be clamped about a linkage segment as shown in FIG. 5. The clamp structure is the pin means which retains the follower assembly on the linkage segment and permits rotation of the wheel means of the follower means. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the follower means is adapted to slidably and rotatably engage a guide means 15. The guide means consists of a C channel 18 pivotally bolted to adjacent guide means 16 and 17 and anchor strap means 20. The anchor strap means is secured to the base means 22 by bolt 12. The guide means is free to move upward and downward on the spring type anchor strap means and to engage the follower means and permit the wheels of the support means to pass over the anchor straps.

One preferred use of the steerable linkage train is to support hydraulic conveying means for transporting carbonaceous material in a slurry such as for transporting coal in a water slurry within a mine. The base means would be the mine floor. For such an application the base means or mine floor often has irregularities or large particles which make it desirable to maintain a minimum clearance between the linkage segment means and the base means or floor. The guide means also should have a minimum clearance of about 7 inches from the mine floor rather than the low clearance shown in FIG. 2. For the greater clearance between the guide means and base means, the anchor straps can be attached to the C channel or the guide means by an extension bracket (not shown). Extension 12 of the follower means can be removed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide means. are segments of C channel pivotally connected to each other and to the anchor straps by bolts 19. The C channel in FIG. 2 has a channel lip 23 adapted to retain the wheel means 11 of the follower means within the guide means yet permit slidable or rotatable engagement and movement of a follower means along the longitudinal axis of the guide means. Each portion of the guide means controls the path of the follower means so that it follows the longitudinal path formed by the connected segments. One typical arrangement of a series of guide means is shown in FIG. 3. It can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the follower means can move vertically within the C channel section of the guide means but must enter and exit each C channel at the end along the longitudinal axis. As shown in FIG. 3, the various guide mean segments are anchored to the base means by a bolt so that the guide means are arranged in a predetermined pattern or along a curved path to form a certain angle for the trains path. The maximum angle between two adjacent guide means segments is shown as a which is also the angle of bevel of the guide means segments and the maximum angle about which two adjacent guide means segments can be rotated relative to each other. The

turn guide means of this invention is readily adapted to control the path of the movable steerable train through an angle up to about 90. The turn guide apparatus serves to turn the train yet maintain the turning portion in a fixed position so that each following support means or cart means as shown in FIG. 2 passes over the same tracks as did the preceding cart.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the turn guide apparatus of this invention operates by the wheel means 11 of the follower means 9 rotatably and slidably engaging the C channel portion 18 of guide means 15. The guide means is removably fixed to the base means 22 by anchor straps 20 and bolts 21 and 19 so that the follower encounters the guide means as they are disposed in a curved path. The linkage segment means 2 is deflected by forces applied through the follower means 9 by guide means 15 so that the follower means 9 and linkage segment means 2 follow the predetermined path along the longitudinal axis of the series of guide means segements. As shown in FIG. 3, the linkage segment means 3, 4, and can be of various different lengths or of equal lengths to obtain the desired turning or deflecting operation of the apparatus of this invention. After a given portion of the linkage segment means has passed over the turn guide apparatus or guide means portions, the follower and guide means disengage and the train responds to longitudinal forces in a conventional manner.

In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the lower edge of the guide means as shown in FIG. 2 would be deflected downward and the follower means would be of a conical shape to compensate for maximum vertical misalignment and provide alignment of the follower and guide means during engagement and disengagement. Wheel means 11 of the follower means 9 can also be movable upward and downward independently of the pin means which carries it to allow for vertical misalignment and movement. This wheel means can also be spring biased to ride in a normal upward position. Likewise, the upper lips of the guide means can be at an angle to the follower means to allow for maximum misalignment and self-alignment between the follower means and guide means and to provide maximum bearing surface. This is shown in FIG. 4 where the follower means 27 is shown as a conical member 29 or a wheel means 28 with a conical hub or bearing surface 29 which approximately corresponds to the angle of taper of the channel lips 26 of the C channel guide member 24. Where vertical alignment and retention of the follower means within the C channel is not a significant problem, the C channel can be a simple channel 5 member without the channel lips. FIG. 5 shows one version of a follower means having at least two wheel means 32 and 33 so that the C channel guide means 31 is rotatably engaged along both sides of the channel, thereby reducing the sliding engaging of the follower means and guide means. As shown in FIG. 5, the follower means 34, 35, and 37 can be connected to the linkage segment means 36 by pin means 34, 35, and 37 adapted to clamp over and around the linkage segment means and to be removed therefrom. The guide means can comprise any one of several combinations of C channels. In one preferred arrangement (not shown) two C channels can be used so that they are opposed or open toward each other to retain said follower means therein.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling the path of a movable train comprising a series of pivotally connected linkage segment means, selected spaced linkage segment means being attached to movable support means and other linkage segment means being supported by adjacent linkage segment means, said linkage segment means being pivotally joined by pin means, said series of linkage segment means having follower means attached thereto and adapted to movably engage a guide means and transmit forces from said guide means to said linkage segment means and thereby control the path of said train, said guide means comprising a plurality of connected guide means sections oriented in a selected position relative to a base means and connected to said base means by means permitting upward and downward movement of said guide means relative to the base means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means permitting upward and downward movement comprises spring type anchor strap means connected at one end to the guide means and at the other end to the base means.

3. The apparatus for claim 2 wherein said movable support means includes pneumatic tires disposed on each side of said guide means.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said anchor strap means, at the end connected to the base means, extends adjacent the base means, and at the end connected to the guide means, is spaced above the base means.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the movable support means carries hydraulic conveying means.

l =l l 

1. Apparatus for controlling the path of a movable train comprising a series of pivotally connected linkage segment means, selected spaced linkage segment means being attached to movable support means and other linkage segment means being supported by adjacent linkage segment means, said linkage segment means being piVotally joined by pin means, said series of linkage segment means having follower means attached thereto and adapted to movably engage a guide means and transmit forces from said guide means to said linkage segment means and thereby control the path of said train, said guide means comprising a plurality of connected guide means sections oriented in a selected position relative to a base means and connected to said base means by means permitting upward and downward movement of said guide means relative to the base means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means permitting upward and downward movement comprises spring type anchor strap means connected at one end to the guide means and at the other end to the base means.
 3. The apparatus for claim 2 wherein said movable support means includes pneumatic tires disposed on each side of said guide means.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said anchor strap means, at the end connected to the base means, extends adjacent the base means, and at the end connected to the guide means, is spaced above the base means.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the movable support means carries hydraulic conveying means. 